not exactly the holiday weekend we had planned...

"Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans."
--- John Lennon (1940-1980)


Hi there! Hope you enjoyed the long holiday weekend...

For us, the weekend was long, but not completely a holiday. As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, Buddy had a sudden and unexpected reaction to the chemo, so he was in and out of the animal hospital several times between Thursday morning and Saturday. We were scared, hoping his white blood cell count would come up. Thankfully, he recovered and is again energetic, eating well, and is apparently feeling good. Just in time for his second chemo treatment later this week, poor thing.

Although we didn't get to Orlando (I had planned to attend a Scrapbook Expo, Sal and I were going to SeaWorld, etc. etc.), we did have some fun! We had an extended visit with my parents while we all tended to Buddy.

And on Monday, as planned, my Mom and I headed to Tampa for some shopping. After much anticipation, Crate & Barrel opened their new store in Tampa this weekend! It's a huge 2-story 33,000 square foot building full of C&B goodness! We had a really good time browsing ... it's one of my most favorite stores. I hadn't been to C&B in quite a while, so I treated myself to this Raffia vase that caught my eye with its unique texture and "beachy" decor appeal. Love it!

And then a lucky break ... we stopped at The Scrapbook Shoppe, where they were having an incredible sale --- 43% off the ENTIRE store to celebrate the owner's 43rd birthday. It was crowded with crazed scrappers (including me) grabbing steals and deals! The checkout line was 45 minutes to an hour wait, whoa!

All in all, a good weekend. Best of all, Buddy's better. And Orlando will always be there.

it's Marisa's special day!

Happy 9th birthday today to our niece, Marisa! She lives in Gulfport, Florida.

Have a FUN & FABULOUS day, Marisa! :-)

Love,
Aunt Susan, Uncle Sal, Buddy & Aruba

change of plans.....

Hi everyone ... I really thought I'd be blogging from Orlando right now ... but plans quickly changed when Buddy started feeling bad Wednesday night. We arrived at my parents house, and he just wasn't himself ... lethargic, no appetite, feverish. So, since then, he has been in and out of a local animal hospital here near my parents'. Of course, we immediately canceled our entire weekend in Orlando to be with him and to help him recover.

Thankfully, tonight he is showing signs of turning around. It seems that he had a delayed reaction to the chemotherapy. Poor Buddy! And I had a stomach ache from worry! He's here with us at my parents' tonight, resting ... and he ate dinner, hurray!

This is not what any of us planned ... Buddy & Aruba were supposed to be having a fun-filled weekend with "Grandma & Grandpa" while Sal and I got a little R&R in Orlando. Hopefully we can some other time.

Buddy will get one more blood test at the vet Saturday morning, and then hopefully he can enjoy some fun time this weekend.

Sorry ... wish I had some fun pics and details to post instead!

Hope you're enjoying the holiday weekend.

I'm dancing on the ceiling

"Hello", is it Lionel Richie you're looking for?

If so, you'll "truly" want to tune in or set your TiVo or DVR ... he'll be on 3 shows, all within a week:

tomorrow night (May 21) on The Tonight Show (Jay Leno)

Tuesday, May 26 on Larry King Live on CNN

Friday, May 29 on Good Morning America (he'll be performing LIVE in Central Park, NYC)
No doubt he'll be promoting his newly-released album, Just Go. Can't wait! I have an "endless love" for his incredible voice! :-)

One of LR's biggest fans,

heading to Orlando!

Hi there ~ wow, it's Wednesday already, this week is flying by!

Today we're heading out to start the Memorial Day weekend early! We'll visit my parents tonight and then Buddy & Aruba will stay with them while Sal and I head off to Orlando for a few days. We've got LOTS of exciting things planned, our weekend is packed, but I'll do my best to sneak in a blog post now and then. Florida is getting soaked in torrential rains right now (have you seen it on the news???, we're getting drenched here!!!), but that's supposed to taper off by Friday, and I sure hope so!

Buddy could use some fun with "Grandma & Grandpa". He is doing OK, but has been a bit down the past couple of days. And we often have to coax him to eat. Some days are better than others for him ... such are the ups and downs of chemo I guess. Next week he'll get his 2nd treatment. Buddy is so brave, our little angel!

I'll catch you back here soon, from Orlando.

Enjoy the holiday,

it's Jonathan's special day!

Happy 18th birthday today to my nephew, Jonathan! He lives in Gulfport, Florida.

We wish you FUN and SMILES on this special milestone day.

Love,

Aunt Susan, Uncle Sal, Buddy & Aruba

...miscellaneous...

Hi there ... sorry, I guess I never did get back here to let you know why May 12 is so special to me and Sal. It's the day --- 21 years ago! --- that we became a couple, began dating. And we usually celebrate the day somehow. We had planned to spend the afternoon at the beach, but neither of us were feeling very good. Oh well, that's life right?

I'm still fighting with this jaw pain, which now includes pain in my ear too. I've been to the dentist & my doctor ... they both seem to think that it's temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) ... not what I wanted to hear. Adding to my aggravation is the fact that there's no "cure" for it, and there are no medical or dental "specialists" who treat it (even my doctor warned me about seeking treatment from so-called "TMJ specialists"). So, I just keep popping Advils and for lack of anyone else to consult with, I'll probably make an appointment with an oral surgeon (which I dread). I've had this pain for over a month now so I've gotta do something. If you or anyone you know suffers with TMJ, I'd be curious to know how to cope with it? I sure miss chewing on my left side ... and yawning!

On the bright side, Buddy seems to be doing OK after his first chemo treatment. He's pretty chipper, although his appetite is still a bit off. I often need to coax him to eat, or even hand feed him. That's so unlike him, a beagle who literally INHALED his food before he was sick. But, I'm encouraged that he's at least eating. His next round of chemo isn't until the end of May, so he has a little reprieve from it all. Poor angel.

I also found out that another scrapbooking magazine that I subscribe to will be folding this summer. Memory Makers magazine announced that the September issue will be their last. It's sad because they were one of the first sb'ing mags to hit newsstands, back in the 90s. Geez, my hobby is really taking a beating in this sour economy!

bye for now,

Mother's Day

Hi there & happy Monday!

I hope all the Moms out there enjoyed their Mother's Day holiday. Sal and I spent the weekend in St. Petersburg with our Moms and families. We took Sal's Mom out for breakfast, then later brought Buddy & Aruba over for a visit (they were obviously very interested in something in the yard next door):

We also took my Mom out to eat, to one of our fave places, The Sea Porch Cafe at that iconic pink palace, the Don CeSar Beach Resort. We enjoyed a late breakfast al fresco since the weather was absolutely gorgeous, picture perfect ... temp in the mid-80s, tons of bright sunshine & blue skies. Afterwards we walked along St. Pete Beach, so pleasant.

Even I got in on the Mother's Day action ... I am a Dog Mom after all, right? [notice my T-shirt, LOL]

The best part of the celebrations for me, though, was that Buddy was well enough to travel and be part of the Mother's Day fun, despite having his first chemotherapy treatment last Thursday. Both "grandmas" were excited to see their "grand dogs" and to celebrate Buddy's recovery. He seemed to feel quite good all weekend, soaking in all the attention and pampering, with the only apparent chemo side effect being a finicky appetite. Today he had to rest from all the fun!

Tomorrow is a really special day for me and Sal. Curious? I'll be back with the details ...

Have a great week,

more treatments for Buddy

Today Sal and I met with Buddy's oncologist (cancer specialist). After reviewing Buddy's case, she believes the best course of treatment for him now is chemotherapy. Although I'm disappointed that Buddy will have to endure more medical treatment, it seems that it's what will give him the best long-term prognosis.

He already had his first round of chemo today. We started it right away because if the cancer is already spreading and/or growing, we want to get rid of it! So, he'll get another round of chemo 3 weeks from now, and then 4 more rounds after that, every 3 weeks. The doses will alternate between 2 different injectable cancer drugs. When the injectables are done, he'll take oral cancer meds for 6 months to a year.

The good news is that, unlike humans, dogs seem to endure the effects of chemo OK. They don't lose all their fur, and at worst Buddy might have a bit of nausea, perhaps some diarrhea, or a decreased appetite. But we have meds to offset those symptoms.

We're hoping that these treatments will keep any cells (that broke away from the lung tumor) from growing into another tumor elsewhere in his body. Buddy is strong and healthy aside from the cancer, thankfully, so our hopes are high that he'll live a long and happy life with us.

a great idea is taking flight

Finally, finally, finally! A way for animals to (safely) fly to join their human companions when they travel!

Have you heard about this?

There's a new airline starting up that flies only animals ... in the passenger cabin (actually, they call it the "pawsenger" cabin - cute!), and not in the cargo compartment. It's called Pet Airways, and it's based right here in Delray Beach, Florida!
Here's how it works (Buddy is wondering if they offer in-flight meals? ha ha). For now, they fly between major airports like L.A., Denver, Chicago, NY, DC, etc. but they plan to expand their route map.

Even better, they've partnered with Best Friends Animal Sanctuary (that's the one Sal and I visited in Utah) and will be a resource for the Sanctuary when they need to relocate rescued animals. Read all about it. How fantastic!

This new airline is a wonderful concept for those of us who would never put our precious pups in cargo, nor do we own a private jet to fly them with us in the main cabin. I wish this new business tons of success.

So don't be surprised if you see Buddy & Aruba launching their own Where In The World? travel blog! *wink*

I won the lottery!

No, not THAT lottery ... perhaps a lottery that's just as exciting though! A few days ago, my name was drawn in the Creative Escape 2009 lottery! WHOA! I was stunned and elated! :-)

So, I'll be heading to Phoenix, Arizona in August! YAY! I can't wait ... the event incorporates lots of my favorite things ... travel, scrapbooking workshops (with great teachers), a gorgeous resort (& spa!), shopping, friends, surprises & treats, and on and on. You may recall from my blog posts about last year's event that the ONLY way to attend is if your name is drawn in their lottery. CE is so wildly popular that far more people want to go than they can accommodate. So I'm a LUCKY girl!

Actually, in the back of my mind, I had written-off the idea of attending CE this year. My friend had even offered me the "bring-a-friend" spot that she got when her name was drawn recently (thanks, Barb!), but I politely declined. Buddy was seriously ill, we have veterinary expenses, the economy is uncertain, etc. etc. etc. But, then my own name was drawn ... against the odds ... so I just HAD to reconsider, and find a way. There are only 640 seats for the event, and as the CE blog points out, "...there are thousands and thousands and thousands of Creative Escape wannabes just waiting for an email saying their name has been pulled...". After beating those odds, it would've been hard to let my chance slip away!

And Sal, what a sweetheart, told me that Buddy & Aruba would love for their Dog Mom to have this gift for Mother's Day. Awww......

So, I registered for the event and booked my flight (luckily, like last year, I was able to get a free airline ticket with my frequent flier miles. Very helpful!).

What an incredible way to celebrate National Scrapbooking Day, right? Speaking of NSD ... I had a blast "shop hopping" yesterday. Met up with friends I haven't seen in a while, and I even won a $10 giftcard at Everything Scrapbook!

Have a great week,

happy National Scrapbooking Day!

Today is National Scrapbooking Day (always on the first Saturday of May)! It's a day to celebrate this wonderful hobby, art, and craft.

I'll be celebrating with a "shop hop" among my 3 local sb stores ... Everything Scrapbook in Lake Worth, Scrapbook Place in Boca Raton, and Cherry Blossom Studio in Coconut Creek. I'm really looking forward to joining in on all the FUN they have planned, like special sales, projects, prizes, snacks, etc. I feel so lucky that I still have local sb'ing stores, all within 30 minutes of home. Lots of stores across the country have closed due to the sour economy. I often hear scrapbookers complain that their nearest store is now a 2-hour drive away, yikes! And online shopping just ain't the same.

Attention fellow scrappers! ... have you seen this? ... Bazzill (the cardstock company that ALL scrappers love) has a new online tool called Bazzill Matchmaker. Just choose a patterned paper collection (they list lines from a variety of manufacturers), and the tool will bring up which colors of Bazzill's cardstock coordinate best! Check it out.

What is your scrapbook color? The May issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine has a fun "Color Me" quiz online for you to find out. Just answer 10 questions about your scrapbooking style and voila! you just might learn something about yourself. I'm a red scrapbooker ... who knew? ... which doesn't necessarily mean that I love the color red, but instead indicates that "You have a real passion for this hobby. Your pages are colorful, bold, lively and full of adventure. You may enjoy travel and have many vacation photos. You like your albums to reflect your zest for life and the varied experiences you enjoy." I'd say that description of me is pretty much right on! So, what color scrapbooker are you?

Enjoy the holiday! :-)

Buddy update

Hi everyone ... thought I'd drop by and let you know that Buddy is recuperating well !!! :-)

This morning Buddy had a follow-up exam by the surgeon, and he's progressing wonderfully! The only issue, which has the surgeon only mildly concerned, is a slight irregularity in Buddy's heartbeat. So, in a month he'll have a follow-up EKG. Otherwise, he's fine and is relieved to have the itchy bandage off and the sutures out. I can tell that he's more comfortable now. And his fur is already starting to grow back. We'll give him a warm bath with some soothing oatmeal shampoo, and he'll feel even better.

And Buddy has gained a little weight too ... a pound and change. Doesn't sound like much, but since he lost 3 pounds, that means he has already gained back 30% of what he lost! He'll no doubt put on the other 2 pounds soon, especially if he keeps being his mischievous self ... last night, he snuck an Oreo cookie away from Sal! Ah, we've missed you, Buddy, our rascal!

So what's next for Buddy? He'll get follow-up lung X-rays in the late summer/early fall, but in the short-term, we're meeting with a veterinary oncologist (cancer specialist) next week. We'll discuss Buddy's prognosis, and whether she thinks Buddy should undergo chemotherapy. We're hoping not; poor Buddy has already endured so much!

Thanks everyone,

it's Paul's special day!

Happy birthday today to my brother-in-law, Paul, in Philadelphia!

We wish you a FUN and memorable day, Paul! :-)

Love,

Susan, Sal, Buddy & Aruba

what's new in Susan's scrapbook studio?

Lately, I've been focused on Buddy's recovery, both in blogging and in real life, but wanted to post about a few exciting things that are happening in my world of scrapbooking.

I was kind of out of the loop, but as Buddy continues to recover (he's doing well !!), I've been joining back in some sb'ing activities, little-by-little. And it cheers me up, too.

Recently, one of my local sb stores, Cherry Blossom Studio (formerly Scrapbook Central), moved to a new (& fancy!) location and had a day of grand-reopening festivities. It was great fun to catch up with some of my sb'ing pals, plus the store had make 'n takes, raffles, etc. (nope, I didn't win anything). It's still in Coconut Creek, but is closer to me now.

And the store owner announced some great news! For some time, I've been requesting that she invite Donna Downey, a super-creative sb'ing designer and celebrity, to come and teach workshops at the store. AND SHE DID IT! Donna will be at the store in July, woo hoo! I can't wait to meet her and take both of her fabulous workshops, "Gotta Love The Everday" (fabric scrapbooking, all featuring Donna's new canvas album and embellishments) and "Bloom" (a mixed-media album).

That's the same weekend that another sb'ing celeb, Debby Schuh, will be teaching 3 workshops at the store. What a great lineup, huh?

(Aren't they gorgeous albums??? )

I forgot to mention during my Utah blogging that I noticed that one of the sb stores I visited would be teaching a really neat class in late April. Since I obviously wouldn't be in Utah at that time, I inquired if they'd be willing to package up a class kit and ship it to me? Well, it pays to ask because, sure enough, they readily agreed to do it! It already arrived. It's a set of wood letters that spell the word "WISH", and you decorate them with festive papers and embellishments. I plan to display them on a shelf when it's one of our birthdays. I just love the cupcake as the "i" ... how cute is that?

While in Salt Lake City, we spent one evening browsing in Barnes & Noble ... I love to look at books of "local interest" when we travel (you learn lots about a place!). Plus I picked up a couple of magazines with the intention of reading them on the long plane ride home (however, I was so exhausted that I slept for the entire flight, and read nothing!). Anyway ... they are both excellent special issues, I strongly recommend them (and not just because I'm a sb magazine junkie!). One is Scrapbook Play With Photos and the other is Studios (by Cloth Paper Scissors), featuring the studio of The Man himself, Tim Holtz. Good reads, chock full of inspiration!

P.S. ~ Next Saturday, May 2, is National Scrapbooking Day. Can't wait to see what fun my local sb stores have planned!

Have a creative day,

my moose ... in print!

I'm just now getting around to sharing some fun news. That's because it all happened while we were in the midst of Buddy's health crisis.

It was Easter Sunday morning. I opened my e-mail and noticed a message from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, one of our local newspapers. It was about an Alaska photo that I submitted last December for their "Your Best Shot" feature, where locals submit a favorite photo from a recent trip ... and the best ones get published in the paper's Travel section, only one per week! A few months had passed, so I had given up that mine would be chosen. But the e-mail was from the Features Photo Editor, and she said "...Thank you for submitting. This is a great photograph. It is running in the paper [on] Easter Sunday...". Sal bolted out to the driveway to grab our copy!

So I excitedly opened the Travel section, and there it was ... smack in the middle of the page, in living color ... and BIG too! My favorite photo from Alaska! Here's the shot; you may recall it from when I was blogging during our trip in June 08:

And a bonus: the Photos Editor even blogged about it on the Sentinel's photography blog!!! I was totally stunned. And flattered.

I even received e-mail from other local paper readers, they had looked me up! They complimented me on the shot and wanted to chat about Alaska. It was all great fun.

It was a real boost to my spirit, and came at a time when I really needed it. Things were not looking good for Buddy then, and I was so down.

Buddy's doing well today tho! Last night, we took him back to the clinic because his bandage was slipping off ... now he's sporting a brand-new, better-fitting, bright purple bandage! So stylin' !!!

celebrating good things today

There are a couple of great things to celebrate today!

First, it's my parents' 42nd wedding anniversary! Congratulations, Mom & Dad! Enjoy your special day. :-)

Second, it's Earth Day 2009. A day to celebrate our planet (and to consider our impact on it), the environment, and the amazing creatures that inhabit it.

Sal and I plan to see the movie Earth soon; it's opening today in theaters in honor of Earth Day. I've read that the cinematography is stunning! It's a documentary that follows the life of 3 animal families ... polar bears, whales, and elephants. Sounds awesome to me!

We're also still celebrating Buddy's arrival home. He's doing well, although still not eating as voraciously as usual. But that could be because of the meds, sometimes they suppress appetite. He seems happy to be home!

Have a green day,

welcome home, Buddy!

So we went to visit Buddy last night, fully expecting that he'd be released from the hospital later this week. But we got a sweet surprise when the nurse walked in with him and said that " ... the surgeon feels that Buddy is ready to go home tonight ..." !!! We were elated! And I think Buddy is so glad to be back home, to his favorite spot in the bed, snuggled in Egyptian cotton sheets, *wink*. Comfy.

It was so wonderful to have him back home with us last night! And Aruba was filled with delight to see him!

As luck would have it, we're having thunderstorms this morning, which scare the wits out of both Buddy & Aruba, so I've had my hands full keeping him calm. He can't have any excitement or activity, not even jumping up on furniture, for a while. And he of course had to go "out" this morning, but it was pouring rain, and his bandage needs to be kept 100% dry. So I fashioned a raincoat out of a plastic Target bag ... talk about recycling!

We're still waiting on the biopsy results, they should be in later this week. {pins and needles}

So, until he goes back for a bandage change and suture removal on April 30, we're watching him and giving him lots of meds. And love!

Thanks again to everyone for your thoughts, concern, and prayers.

Welcome home, Buddy! :-)

Buddy's progress continues

We had another terrific visit with Buddy at the hospital on Sunday! He's doing well, making noticeable progress. :-)

Again, he came in wagging his tail, glad to see us. And he gave kisses galore!

The nurse said that he's now "eating well", which is a HUGE relief to us. Buddy had totally lost his appetite, not to mention 10% of his body weight, before the surgery. He was excited by the "junk food" that we brought him, 2 of his favorites, yogurt and peanut butter:

"Choosy (dog) Moms choose Jif!":

He was a little more tired on Sunday than on Saturday, so our visit was shorter. I snapped this photo right before we left, with Buddy seeming to ask can I go home now? with those big beautiful beagle eyes! Pretty soon Buddy, pretty soon!

Today, they'll be starting him on a couple of additional medicines. We'll see you later on Buddy!

Buddy's improving

Buddy is really starting to perk up this weekend! We visited him on Saturday night, and this time he walked into the room instead of being rolled in inside the oxygen box. Actually, he has been taken off oxygen entirely and is breathing on his own now!

As soon as he saw us last night, his tail was wagging! And he gave us LOTS of kisses! He was so cute, walking in with his catheter in tow (understandably, he doesn't enjoy having it, and since he kept yanking it out, they had to put the protective "cone" around his neck, poor Buddy). He's definitely making progress, since before his surgery he was too weak and sick to do anything, even wag his tail. We're glad to see that he has the ENERGY to yank out his catheter! He's also starting to eat ... we brought him a cup of plain yogurt (one of his fave snacks) and he ate it gleefully.

I think he was genuinely glad to see us; he seemed to be "smiling".

This morning, his surgeon gave us an update: they were changing his bandage, and the chest tube and catheter have now both been removed (yay!). I'm sure that alone will make Buddy feel better!

We're hoping that Buddy can come home soon, although we realize that he needs time to heal at the hospital, with medical supervision. Maybe he'll be discharged on Tuesday??? Aruba misses him so much, she hasn't been herself, mopey and depressed. No doubt she senses our sadness too.

We'll be visiting Buddy later today, and I'll be back with another update. Wait until he sees what we're surprising him with this time ... peanut butter! ;-)